Sales & Marketing

Express plans to close approximately 50 stores during the next 36 months, primarily at the end of their leases, following a weaker-than-expected first quarter.

The company’s profit dropped to $5.08 million, from $32.4 million a year earlier. Sales decreased to $460.7 million, from $509.4 million, while Same-store sales fell 11%.

New York -- The Federal Trade Commission on Friday determined that the merger between Men’s Wearhouse and Jos. A. Bank does not violate antitrust laws. The commission had been conducting a detailed review of the proposed $1.8 billion deal.

The Men’s Wearhouse expects to close on its acquisition for Jos. A. Bank in the next 30 days after Men's Wearhouse agreed to pay $65 a share for Jos. A. Bank earlier this year in a deal valued at $1.8 billion that will create a company with more than 1,700 stores and pro forma annual sales of $3.5 billion.

Fairfield, Conn. - GE Lighting and ByteLight are introducing LED lighting fixtures that communicate with shoppers’ smart devices while in-store, enabling retailers to provide location-based services using GE LED infrastructure. ByteLight’s indoor location technology embedded inside GE LED fixtures will provide the ability to understand the precise location of shoppers using an opt-in application powered by ByteLight on their smartphones and tablets.

Columbus, Ohio – Expenses related to exiting its Canadian operations substantially reduced net earnings for Big Lots Inc. in the first quarter of fiscal 2014. Compared to the first quarter of fiscal 2013, net income fell 90% to $3.35 million from $32.33 million.

Net sales rose 1% to $1.28 billion, from $1.27 billion. Same-store sales rose 0.9%. Big Lots forecasts same-store sales growth of 1%-3% in the second quarter of fiscal 2014, and 1%-2% in the full fiscal year.

New York - A pre-tax restructuring charge of $17.3 million during first quarter 2014 in connection with its previously announced strategic realignment was a major factor in a year-over-year net income decline at Ann Inc. Net income for the quarter totaled $5.2 million, down 66% from $15.4 million in the first quarter of the previous fiscal year.

Total net sales for the first quarter of fiscal 2014 were $590.6 million, up 3% increase from sales of $574.5 million in the year-ago period. Total same-store sales dropped 1.8%.

Pure Leaf Iced Tea, a product from the Pepsi Lipton Tea partnership, is expanding its partnership with television personality Gail Simmons to support the brand's "Share the Love of Leaves" program.

Fans of the beverage can pitch in to make a difference in their communities, and up to $150,000 will be donated to Wholesome Wave, a nonprofit that focuses on making fresh and healthy food affordable and accessible to all people.

Los Angeles – Guess on Thursday reported a first-quarter net loss of $2.1 million, compared with net earnings of $9.9 million in the year-ago period, as sales fell in North America and Europe.

"First quarter earnings results were slightly better than our expectations,” said Paul Marciano, CEO. “We delivered revenues within the range of our guidance and managed our expenses tightly.”

Sales fell 4.8% at $522.5 million, compared with $548.9 million in the prior year.

New York — & Other Stories, a sibling brand to H&M, has leased a 10,915-sq.-ft. space at 575 Broadway in the SoHo district of Manhattan, according to RKF, which represented the landlord, 575 Broadway Associates LP, in the transaction. Cole Schotz provided legal counsel. CBRE represented & Other Stories.